January 2018 Dynamic Update Developer’s Notes: Black Fleet

Here are the changes that came out of the Black Fleet CID cycle. Many thanks to all who contributed their battle reports and thoughtful suggestions. We couldn’t do it without you.

Unyielding

Multiple Models

Replace the text of the Unyielding rule with the following:

This model gains +2 ARM against melee damage rolls.

We found that Unyielding was feeling counterintuitive and did not function consistently. This change will remove many of the questions players had about Unyielding and make it a more consistent and understandable rule. This change affects every model that has the rule—more than 25 in all, ranging from the Exemplar Errant Seneschal to the Kriel Warrior Caber Thrower, from Karchev the Terrible to Kaya the Moonhunter, from Proteus to Maximus, from…well, you get the idea.

Cryx

Lich Lord Terminus

Increase the warjack points to +27.

We bumped up Terminus’ warjack points to allow him a slightly larger battlegroup.

Warwitch Deneghra

Reduce the warjack points to +26.

Replace the first sentence of Deneghra’s feat The Withering with the following:

On a critical hit, models hit suffers Shadow Bind for one round. (A model suffering Shadow Bind suffers –3 DEF, and for one round when it advances it cannot move except to change facing. Shadow Bind can be shaken.)

These changes to Warwitch Deneghra will bring her back into parity with other ’caster options in the Faction and throughout the game. We wanted to tone down her assassination potential but keep her as a powerful debuff warcaster. Replacing Scourge lowers her assassination threat, and Black Talons is both less consistent and less powerful than Scourge.

Wraith Witch Deneghra

Increase the MAT to 6.

Replace Deneghra’s feat Blades of Shadow with Web of Shadows:

Feat: Web of Shadows

Deneghra’s tenebrous powers reached their apex upon her death. Now the Wraith Witch can call upon the power of darkness itself to compel her warriors to join her as spectral beings, rendering the weapons of their foes impotent.

When this model hits an enemy model with this weapon during its activation, after the attack is resolved you can place the enemy model anywhere completely within d6 + 3" of its current location. A model can be placed by Dark Banishment only once per turn.

Remove the spells Influence, Marked for Death, and Pursuit.

Add the spells Breath Stealer, Damnation, and Shadow Step:

Breath Stealer 2 10 – – RND Yes

Target model/unit suffers –2 SPD and DEF for one round.

Damnation 2 8 – – UP Yes

Warjacks in the spellcaster’s battlegroup can charge or make slam power attacks against target model without spending focus. They can ignore forests and cloud effects when determining LOS when declaring a charge or slam attack against the affected model. They gain +2" movement and Pathfinder when resolving charges or slam power attacks targeting the affected model.

Shadow Step 2 Self * – – No

Enemy models currently within 2" of the spellcaster suffer Shadow Bind for one round. Additionally, you can place the spellcaster anywhere completely within 3" of its current location. Shadow Step can be cast only once per activation. (A model suffering Shadow Bind suffers –3 DEF, and for one round when it advances it cannot move except to change facing. Shadow Bind can be shaken.).

A rather large overhaul of Deneghra 2, this reimagining brings her to the fore as an aggressive battlegroup ’caster. Relying on Incorporeal will give her some built-in strengths and weaknesses. That being said, I will let the other changes speak for themselves.

The Witch Coven of Garlghast

Replace the first sentence of the Witch Coven’s feat Nightfall with the following:

While in the Coven’s control range, enemy models have their LOS reduced to 5".

This change was not discussed during the CID cycle, but our internal concerns about the Witch Coven continue to be supported by tournament data and internal playtesting. We had many different ideas for directions to go before settling on this adjustment to their feat, which is reduces their power level while not changing the essence of the Coven.

Egregore

Replace the first sentence of the Sympathetic Link rule with the following:

When this model would suffer damage, it can spend 1 focus point to reduce the damage by 5. Assign the remaining damage to one or more Witch Coven of Garlghast models, divided as you choose. Coven models cannot spend focus points to reduce this damage.

We wanted to address the interaction between the Egregore’s rules and the core rules that allowed the Coven to spread damage among the witches and spend several focus to reduce the damage they receive. This change brings that mechanic in line with the rest of the game.

Corruptor

Decrease the point cost to 14.

The corruptor was slightly over-costed, and this change should bring it in line with other heavy warjacks.

Kharybdis

Decrease the point cost to 17.

Increase the RAT to 6.

Add the Gunfighter advantage to Kharybis.

Replace the Acid Cloud (*Action) rule with Acid Cloud:

Acid Cloud – This model can use Acid Cloud once per activation at any time. Center a 4" AOE cloud effect on this model. Models in the AOE when it is placed or that enter or end their activation in the AOE suffer the Corrosion continuous effect . The AOE remains in play for one round.

Kharybdis is now a bit cheaper, has better RAT, and received a couple of other quality-of-life improvements.

Black Ogrun Boarding Party

Decrease the MAT to 6.

Increase the DEF to 13.

Add the Gang rule to the Leader & Grunts:

Gang – When making a melee attack targeting an enemy model in the melee range of another model in this unit, this model gains +2 to melee attack and melee damage rolls.

The Black Ogrun Boarding Party received adjustments to its base stats and picked up Gang. These changes should make them a more attractive choice, hopefully bringing them into line with other similar options.

Bloodgorgers

Increase the MAT to 7.

Bloodgorgers received a small bump in their MAT to help differentiate them from the Marauders.

Revenant Cannon Crew

Increase the point cost to 5.

Increase the RNG of the Ghost Cannon to 13.

Remove the Point-Blank rule from the Grunts.

Add the Ghost Shot rule to the Ghost Cannon:

Ghost Shot – This model ignores LOS, concealment, and cover when making attacks with this weapon.

The Revenant Cannon Crew picked up a few increases in stats as well as a few standardization changes to bring them in line with their other Revenant counterparts.

Revenant Crew of the Atramentous & Rifleman

Remove the Point-Blank rule.

We hope this change will bring the Revenant Crew, and more importantly the Ghost Fleet theme force, into line with the rest of the game. Given their extreme resilience and recursion mechanics, their offensive output was simply too high. Taking away one of their close combat attacks removes a substantial amount of their offensive potential, pushing them a little more toward attrition-style gameplay rather than being a hammer of a unit that can easily remove opposing infantry and heavy warjacks.

Satyxis Blood Witches

Replace the Blood Mist rule with Grievous Wounds:

Grievous Wounds – A model hit by this weapon loses Tough and cannot have damage removed from it for one round.

Grievous Wounds helps differentiate the Satyxis Blood Witches from other units and pairs well with the changes below to the Satyxis Blood Hag.

Granted: Side Step – While this model is in formation, models in its unit gain Side Step. (When a model with Side Step hits an enemy model with an initial melee attack or a melee special attack, the model with Side Step can advance up to 2" after the attack is resolved.)

Replace the Blood Mist rule with Grievous Wounds:

Grievous Wounds – A model hit by this weapon loses Tough and cannot have damage removed from it for one round.

These changes give the Blood Hag a very specific and specialized role in the Scourge of the Broken Coast theme force. Dark Shroud is unique to the Blood Witch in this theme force, and Granted: Side Step helps the unit utilize Gang more efficiently and fulfill their skirmishing design goals.

Satyxis Gunslingers

Increase the RAT to 7.

Add the Dodge rule to the Leader & Grunts:

Dodge – This model can advance up to 2" immediately after an enemy attack that missed it is resolved unless it was missed while advancing. It cannot be targeted by free strikes during this movement.

Replace the Blood Mist rule with Heart Seeker:

Heart Seeker – Gain an additional die on damage rolls resulting from this attack. Discard the lowest die in each roll.

The Gunslingers received a bump up in efficiency defensive agility along with a new shot type to help make them a more desirable unit.

Satyxis Raider Sea Witch

Increase the point cost to 4.

Reduce the CMD to 8.

Replace the text of the True Wind rule with the following:

True Wind – Affected models gain Pathfinder this activation.

An increase in points, a reduction in CMD, and a more consistently useful True Wind rule will work together to move the Sea Witch into a better tactical position within the Faction.

General Gerlak Slaughterborn

Decrease the point cost to 6.

Add Weapon Master and Grievous Wounds to Slaughterborn’s Great Axe:

Grievous Wounds – A model hit by this weapon loses Tough and cannot have damage removed from it for one round.

General Gerlak Slaughterborn received quite an overhaul. Adding Weapon Master and Grievous Wounds balances out the removal of Finisher, and the Veteran Leader and Elite Cadre rules are both excellent boons to Bloodgorger units.

Satyxis Raider Captain

Add the Tough advantage.

Replace the Reposition [3"] rule with Sprint:

Sprint – At the end of an activation in which it destroyed or removed from play one or more enemy models with melee attacks, this model can immediately make a full advance, then its activation ends.

We wanted to see the Satyxis Raider Captain be more active in the game. Sprint allows her to play a much more aggressive role while remaining safe and positioning properly around the board, and Tough helps keep her on the table longer.

Mercenaries

Cognifex Cyphon

Delete the second sentence of the Breath Stealer spell, which reads “Breath Stealer can be cast only once per activation.”

This change reflects the modification we made to Breath Stealer as part of the Deneghra 2 update.

Legion

Saeryn, Omen of Everblight

Delete the second sentence of the Breath Stealer spell, which reads “Breath Stealer can be cast only once per activation.”

This change reflects the modification we made to Breath Stealer as part of the Deneghra 2 update.

Theme Force Errata

Cryx Theme Force: Scourge of the Broken Coast

Add Barathrum to the Army Composition section.

Replace the third special rule with the following:

Solos in this army gain Dodge. (A model with Dodge can advance up to 2" immediately after an enemy attack that missed it is resolved unless it was missed while advancing. It cannot be targeted by free strikes during this movement.)

During testing, we felt that this theme force was very well positioned. Swapping in the new rule above will tone down the theme force a bit while also giving a powerful and thematic ability to the support and combat solos allowed in the force.

Cryx Theme Force: Slaughter Fleet Raiders

Add Kharybdis and Axiara Wraithblade to the Army Composition section.

We added Kharybdis and Axiara Wraithblade to the Slaughter Fleet Raiders because they both fit thematically and are useful to the types of armies typically built with this theme force.

Grymkin Theme Force: Bump in the Night

Replace the first sentence of the second special rule with the following:

For every 20 points of Grymkin units and Grymkin battle engines in this army, you can add one command attachment, weapon attachment, or solo to the army free of cost.

This change will allow Hollow Holden as a free option in the Bump in the Night theme force.